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New York Times
229 West 43d St.
New York, N.Y. 10036

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To the Editor:

	In spite of {\it perestroika}, the Soviet Union is still not a
suitable place for international scientific meetings, because not all
participants are allowed to attend.  My colleague, Vladimir Lifschitz, and
I began last August our preparations to present a joint paper at the Eighth
International Congress on Logic, Methodology and Philosophy of Science
in Moscow this August.  Every step in the process --- initial
inquiry, submission of paper, application for Intourist accomodations
after acceptance of the paper and application for visa after receipt
of Intourist voucher --- was completed promptly.  The initial application
included the fact that Lifschitz is a former Soviet citizen, and
the relevant officials of the International Council of Scientific Unions
were alerted to the potential problem of Lifschitz and two others.  They
repeatedly communicated about it with the Moscow organizing committee
beginning in September 1986.

	As soon as the Intourist voucher arrived --- after what the travel agency
said was an abnormal delay --- Lifschitz applied for his visa, and
 the Soviet Consulate in San Francisco told
the visa service, ``Oh, former Soviet citizen.  That will be six weeks'',
i.e. not till after the Moscow meeting.

	I won't go to the meeting unless my colleague can come too,
and I urge other attendees to communicate with the Moscow organizing
committee.  Don't bother calling the Soviet Consulate in San Francisco;
they don't answer their telephone.  Some might propose greater patience
with the Soviet bureaucratic system before writing letters to the
newspapers.  However, 20 years experience shows that delay past the
last minute is their traditional tactic, and public protest has always
worked better than quiet diplomacy.

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Sincerely,



John McCarthy

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